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Deadly Innocence: The True Story of Paul Bernardo, Karla Homolka, and the Schoolgirl Murders
Karla and Paul seemed like the picture-perfect newlyweds, but were really a pair of vicious killers who abducted, sexually tortured and murdered innocent schoolgirls, videotaping their evil acts in suburban Niagara Falls. Billed as the crime of the century in Canada, this case has received a great deal of media coverage on both sides of the border. Includes eight pages of photos.
587 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 6, 2009
So I keep reading true crime when what I actually want to be reading are the custodial offender interview reports from the Behavioral Sciences Unit. Those are slightly harder to get your hands on (not impossible, though). And one of these days I'm just going to have to stop reading true crime as a pale, pale substitute, because, well, insert a brief essay here on the many reasons true crime is inherently problematic.
This particular book is actually half-decent. Paul Bernardo raped an uncertain number of women in Canada and then, with the coerced help of his wife, kidnapped, tortured, and killed school girls. Bernardo is about as typical an anger-excitation rapist sadist as you can find, complete with huge mommy issues and textbook financial scamming. The authors of this book are right to say that his wife, Karla, is the much more interesting of the two. Somehow, the long, grueling descriptions of her subjugation are more brutal to read than the brief, jigsaw reconstructions of the murders.
Anyway, not bad as true crime goes, with a nearly alarming adherence to flat reportage and relatively mild doses of the misogyny and classism that can get pretty toxic in true crime. Still, not at all what I wanted – this book is all what and why and when and how, and the only thing that I ever really want to know is why.
This particular book is actually half-decent. Paul Bernardo raped an uncertain number of women in Canada and then, with the coerced help of his wife, kidnapped, tortured, and killed school girls. Bernardo is about as typical an anger-excitation rapist sadist as you can find, complete with huge mommy issues and textbook financial scamming. The authors of this book are right to say that his wife, Karla, is the much more interesting of the two. Somehow, the long, grueling descriptions of her subjugation are more brutal to read than the brief, jigsaw reconstructions of the murders.
Anyway, not bad as true crime goes, with a nearly alarming adherence to flat reportage and relatively mild doses of the misogyny and classism that can get pretty toxic in true crime. Still, not at all what I wanted – this book is all what and why and when and how, and the only thing that I ever really want to know is why.
May 31, 2008
It almost feels wrong to give this book 5 stars when I really try not to give a book 5 stars unless it's brilliant but for a true crime this is above and beyond. Sometimes it was painfully hard to read what these two disturbed adults did but that was because the author really captured the depth of the terrifying story.
February 7, 2010
How I Came To Read This Book: When Karla Homolka was on her way out of prison, I really had no idea who she was or what she’d done. My dad spazzed and gave my sister and I each a book that covered the notorious couple of Paul Bernardo & Homolka, and I read this one (I read the other one a couple of years later).
The Plot: Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo are two of Canada’s most legendary serial killers – having murdered three young girls (including most disturbingly, Homolka’s sister mere weeks before their wedding). This book kicks off with a teaser of the storm that was slowly building as the other girls’ deaths were discovered, before taking you back to the beginning of their lives, their courtship, and their reign of terror in Southern Ontario. Finally the book reviews the infamous ‘deal with the devil’ the crown made to have Homolka testify against Bernardo in exchange for a lessened sentence – a point of contention in all discussions around the twosome to this day (i.e. how messed up is Karla?).
The Good & The Bad: One criticism I’ve heard of this book vs. the other one I’ve read is this one focuses too much on anecdotal evidence. Indeed, a good portion of the book comes from the mouths of some childhood friends of the killers or other people linked to the investigations, rather than sticking to a more journalistic ‘reporting’ style. I personally felt like the personal testimonies of those affected by or involved with the case made you more engaged – but reading other books broke down the cut and dry facts a lot more which was helpful (in other words, I say read them both). This book is both a page turner and extremely hard to read – on several occasions I had to put it down and walk away because I was so disgusted and horrified with the whole story. This is NOT a book for bedtime reading – one friend I lent it to had nightmares throughout reading the whole thing. Still, if you want excellent, gripping coverage of the crime spree that gripped the nation, this is a great book to cover all your bases.
The Bottom Line: A horrifying story, an engaging read.
Anything Memorable?: Just that I finished this book shortly before Homolka was let out of prison. I also recall my cousin reading it while we were at my sister’s graduation ceremony (that’s ONE way to spend three hours).
50-Book Challenge?: Nope.
The Plot: Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo are two of Canada’s most legendary serial killers – having murdered three young girls (including most disturbingly, Homolka’s sister mere weeks before their wedding). This book kicks off with a teaser of the storm that was slowly building as the other girls’ deaths were discovered, before taking you back to the beginning of their lives, their courtship, and their reign of terror in Southern Ontario. Finally the book reviews the infamous ‘deal with the devil’ the crown made to have Homolka testify against Bernardo in exchange for a lessened sentence – a point of contention in all discussions around the twosome to this day (i.e. how messed up is Karla?).
The Good & The Bad: One criticism I’ve heard of this book vs. the other one I’ve read is this one focuses too much on anecdotal evidence. Indeed, a good portion of the book comes from the mouths of some childhood friends of the killers or other people linked to the investigations, rather than sticking to a more journalistic ‘reporting’ style. I personally felt like the personal testimonies of those affected by or involved with the case made you more engaged – but reading other books broke down the cut and dry facts a lot more which was helpful (in other words, I say read them both). This book is both a page turner and extremely hard to read – on several occasions I had to put it down and walk away because I was so disgusted and horrified with the whole story. This is NOT a book for bedtime reading – one friend I lent it to had nightmares throughout reading the whole thing. Still, if you want excellent, gripping coverage of the crime spree that gripped the nation, this is a great book to cover all your bases.
The Bottom Line: A horrifying story, an engaging read.
Anything Memorable?: Just that I finished this book shortly before Homolka was let out of prison. I also recall my cousin reading it while we were at my sister’s graduation ceremony (that’s ONE way to spend three hours).
50-Book Challenge?: Nope.
October 7, 2012
***This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk***
Deadly Innocence is a true crime novel about the famous Canadian couple, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. They are famous for abducting, torturing, and murdering innocent school girls, as well as videotaping their evil acts. Paul was also a notorious rapist.
This was a very hard book to get through. I decided to read this a while after watching the movie, Karla. The book goes into a whole lot more detail than the movie does.
The book is written well enough, but it was still a lot of infodumping. I haven't read any other true crime novels, but I didn't imagine the writing to be so dry at times. This book also needed a better editor. I can't count of how many times I came across errors. While it's not a big deal to have a few, a lot are annoying as a reader.
I felt sick during reading most of this book. Think horror movies are scary? Read about the things this couple did. There were several times that I had to put the book down because I felt so sick. There's a lot of graphic descriptions and accounts, so if this bothers you, you may want to stick to the movie, or Wikipedia.
All in all, it was an interesting book but very horrifying. The book, for the most part, was unbiased, but I got the feeling that it was leaning toward Karla's claims of being a victim. Even though Paul is pure evil and I wish Canada would have used the death penalty on him, Karla is truly baffling. I do believe that she was a victim, BUT I also believe that she could have put an end to this early on. There has to either be something wrong with the woman or she's just as evil as Paul to torture, rape, and kill girls. Especially her own sister.
As bad as it was to hear about Kristen and Leslie, Tammy's death bothered me the most. It's one thing to hurt a stranger, but your own sister? There are times when I am angry at my sister, but I could never dream of actually harming her. And letting your fiance' rape her right in front of you? Sick.
I don't believe I've ever heard of any two people who made me feel as sickened as these two. It's unreal that Karla is out walking the streets now--and with her own kids.
Deadly Innocence is a true crime novel about the famous Canadian couple, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. They are famous for abducting, torturing, and murdering innocent school girls, as well as videotaping their evil acts. Paul was also a notorious rapist.
This was a very hard book to get through. I decided to read this a while after watching the movie, Karla. The book goes into a whole lot more detail than the movie does.
The book is written well enough, but it was still a lot of infodumping. I haven't read any other true crime novels, but I didn't imagine the writing to be so dry at times. This book also needed a better editor. I can't count of how many times I came across errors. While it's not a big deal to have a few, a lot are annoying as a reader.
I felt sick during reading most of this book. Think horror movies are scary? Read about the things this couple did. There were several times that I had to put the book down because I felt so sick. There's a lot of graphic descriptions and accounts, so if this bothers you, you may want to stick to the movie, or Wikipedia.
All in all, it was an interesting book but very horrifying. The book, for the most part, was unbiased, but I got the feeling that it was leaning toward Karla's claims of being a victim. Even though Paul is pure evil and I wish Canada would have used the death penalty on him, Karla is truly baffling. I do believe that she was a victim, BUT I also believe that she could have put an end to this early on. There has to either be something wrong with the woman or she's just as evil as Paul to torture, rape, and kill girls. Especially her own sister.
As bad as it was to hear about Kristen and Leslie, Tammy's death bothered me the most. It's one thing to hurt a stranger, but your own sister? There are times when I am angry at my sister, but I could never dream of actually harming her. And letting your fiance' rape her right in front of you? Sick.
I don't believe I've ever heard of any two people who made me feel as sickened as these two. It's unreal that Karla is out walking the streets now--and with her own kids.
July 20, 2012
Canada’s own Barbie & Ken gone very bad – a well written, extremely disturbing story. At the time this was happening I followed it religiously in the news as did most Canadians, read a couple of other books on it as well. I’m still trying to figure out Karla. Was she just a mind-twisted victim (as this author implies) or a cold, calculating piece of crap? Jury is still out on that one…
May 21, 2009
One of the most shocking stories I have ever read.
July 8, 2023
Review haiku:
The worst of true crime.
Abuse lovingly detailed.
A red top’s ethics.
The worst of true crime.
Abuse lovingly detailed.
A red top’s ethics.
June 9, 2012
This book is an account of the Ken and Barbie Murderers of Canada, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. For those of you who haven't heard of the formerly married serial rapists/murderers, Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka met when she was 17 and he was 23. Paul, at the time, had started raping young women at that point. Karla indulged his activities and even started participating in them. Together they raped quite a few girls and killed at least three young girls, including Karla's younger sister. They both ended up in prison, but thanks to Karla's deal with the prosecutors, she has already been released.
I remember reading about Karla when she gave birth to a son and her past was brought up. The other night the story came up again on 48 Hours Dateline 20/20 something. So I picked up this book, as I had never read the entire story.
I read the Kindle edition which, according to other reviewers, has a lot of editing issues. I have to agree, as there were a lot of typos and the story did seem to have some flow issues at some points. However, it wasn't enough of an issue to affect my comprehension of the book.
For the most part, it was very well-written. At times, it was difficult to read because of the subject matter. However, it was interesting to read the entire story from start to finish. If you enjoy true crime novels, I think you will like this one.
It's so hard to imagine a person who could do this. The fact that they both participated in this is just mind-boggling. Karla has maintained that she was a battered wife and that's why she didn't feel as though she could defy Paul. Maybe that's true. It's hard to say. I can't imagine being so under another person's spell that I stopped knowing what was right or wrong. But that may be what happened here.
All in all, a very interesting read.
I remember reading about Karla when she gave birth to a son and her past was brought up. The other night the story came up again on 48 Hours Dateline 20/20 something. So I picked up this book, as I had never read the entire story.
I read the Kindle edition which, according to other reviewers, has a lot of editing issues. I have to agree, as there were a lot of typos and the story did seem to have some flow issues at some points. However, it wasn't enough of an issue to affect my comprehension of the book.
For the most part, it was very well-written. At times, it was difficult to read because of the subject matter. However, it was interesting to read the entire story from start to finish. If you enjoy true crime novels, I think you will like this one.
It's so hard to imagine a person who could do this. The fact that they both participated in this is just mind-boggling. Karla has maintained that she was a battered wife and that's why she didn't feel as though she could defy Paul. Maybe that's true. It's hard to say. I can't imagine being so under another person's spell that I stopped knowing what was right or wrong. But that may be what happened here.
All in all, a very interesting read.
December 3, 2008
Usually I hate these mass-market paperback exploitations of well-known cases, (and why do they always have such ridiculously lame titles?) but a co-worker handed it to me and I had to pass my late-night shift somehow. Plus which, I was sort of interested based on the fact that Paul Bernardo's mere ownership of a copy of "American Psycho" was enough for my more censorious sisters in feminism to call for its banning.
It's at least fairly readable, though the recalled dialogue by Bernardo and Karla Homolka's friends is stilted and laughable; human memory combined with hack writing, one must suppose. I didn't know much about either of their childhoods, so that's proving to be the most interesting reading thus far, though I've only just made it to the part where Paul and Karla meet - they haven't yet discovered their true effed up kinship yet.
8/16 - Done. I can't say I really learned much, other than that there are some pretty truly horrible people in the world (and that the Canadian legal system has some neat quirks and intricacies). Paul Bernardo named his penis Snuffles, which is your Fun Fact for the day. His entire outward persona was built on Amway, Dale Carnegie, self-improvement seminars, Gordon Gekko quotations, and televangelism (not Christianity, but the slick shallowness of television preachers).
Don't trust the charming ones.
It's at least fairly readable, though the recalled dialogue by Bernardo and Karla Homolka's friends is stilted and laughable; human memory combined with hack writing, one must suppose. I didn't know much about either of their childhoods, so that's proving to be the most interesting reading thus far, though I've only just made it to the part where Paul and Karla meet - they haven't yet discovered their true effed up kinship yet.
8/16 - Done. I can't say I really learned much, other than that there are some pretty truly horrible people in the world (and that the Canadian legal system has some neat quirks and intricacies). Paul Bernardo named his penis Snuffles, which is your Fun Fact for the day. His entire outward persona was built on Amway, Dale Carnegie, self-improvement seminars, Gordon Gekko quotations, and televangelism (not Christianity, but the slick shallowness of television preachers).
Don't trust the charming ones.
September 12, 2014
I'd love to be able to rate this book more highly due to the fascinating subject matter but sadly it is so poorly written and edited that it could only ever pass as okay. Full stops in the middle of sentences but frequently not at the ends; quotation marks at the start of quotes and not at the ends; incorrect words and various other bloopers pepper the pages. The book is also awash with useless information that could easily have been cut - do we really need to know the family background of a passing police officer or what route Paul and Van took on an uneventful trip?
The two journalists who wrote Deadly Innocence state in the preface that they are not authors but surely a decent grasp of English is a prerequisite of both roles? They also profusely thank their editor - they really needn't have bothered, as she did a terrible job.
One of the biggest gaffes comes near the end, when they refer to Paul's alias as being Paul Jason Tale: it was actually Teale, a mistake made more obvious by the fact that Bernardo is referencing himself in rap lyrics where other words rhyme with Teale. Why weren't errors like this spotted?
The Bernardos remain an extraordinary couple years after their crimes - unfortunately, this book is far from being as remarkable.
The two journalists who wrote Deadly Innocence state in the preface that they are not authors but surely a decent grasp of English is a prerequisite of both roles? They also profusely thank their editor - they really needn't have bothered, as she did a terrible job.
One of the biggest gaffes comes near the end, when they refer to Paul's alias as being Paul Jason Tale: it was actually Teale, a mistake made more obvious by the fact that Bernardo is referencing himself in rap lyrics where other words rhyme with Teale. Why weren't errors like this spotted?
The Bernardos remain an extraordinary couple years after their crimes - unfortunately, this book is far from being as remarkable.
August 4, 2020
This book was really hard to read. Not because of the style of writing but because what these two did was so twisted. There were times I had to put the book down and read something else. It was just so disturbing. I still can't believe that she's out of prison.
December 9, 2011
This is one of those stories that will leave your mouth gaped open throughout the read. The things this couple did to young women are only things lurking in a deranged person's nightmares. If you've ever seen the movie, Natural Born Killers, this couple sort of puts you in the same frame of mind. How you could torture innocent people all for the sake of your sexual pleasure, is something I will never understand about some human nature.
I believe in honoring your marriage, but there are some things a spouse should never ask of his partner, and committing sexual deviate assault and murder are two things that immediately come to mind. I remember this book like I read it yesterday. I still can't believe what this Canadian couple did. One of the most horrific true-crime books I've ever read, and I pray to God I never read anything like it again!
This read was ghoulishly outstanding. You will not be able to put it down. It's over 500 pages long, and I read it in a weekend, so it kept me turning! You will be mesmerized by the horrible things this couple did, and it's so horrific, described in great detail, that you just couldn't make this type of stuff up. The last time a true-crime book gripped me like that was when I read Ann Rule's A Stranger Beside Me, the true story of Ted Bundy! That book gave me nightmares, and this story gave me the same feeling.
I believe in honoring your marriage, but there are some things a spouse should never ask of his partner, and committing sexual deviate assault and murder are two things that immediately come to mind. I remember this book like I read it yesterday. I still can't believe what this Canadian couple did. One of the most horrific true-crime books I've ever read, and I pray to God I never read anything like it again!
This read was ghoulishly outstanding. You will not be able to put it down. It's over 500 pages long, and I read it in a weekend, so it kept me turning! You will be mesmerized by the horrible things this couple did, and it's so horrific, described in great detail, that you just couldn't make this type of stuff up. The last time a true-crime book gripped me like that was when I read Ann Rule's A Stranger Beside Me, the true story of Ted Bundy! That book gave me nightmares, and this story gave me the same feeling.
August 16, 2012
While the content of the novel was interesting and provides insight into the relationship from close friends and acquaintances, I found the severe lack of editing very distracting. Almost every single page had a spelling or grammatical error, some that were very basic. While I am not normally one to complain or review books, I was incredibly disappointed with my money spent on this novel. I was hoping that as the book went on it would improve, but with each chapter I noticed more and more. It got to the point where I was so distracting that I was no longer interested in the content, and was more hunting for errors. Even a quick glance over by the writers would have solved most if the errors in the book. This book is worth the read if you can get over all the mistakes; however, I personally was very disappointed with the lack of editing.
August 4, 2015
What happens when a serial rapist meets a narcissist with psychopathic histrionic personality disorder? This. This happens. (from an Amazon review)
This book may be well-researched, but the writing is poor and filled with easy-to-spot typos and errors that even the least bit of editing should have caught. Additionally, the author seems to bend over backwards trying to excuse Karla Homolka, a truly abysmal excuse of a human being, for raping, torturing and murdering young women. Her husband, Paul Bernardo, wasn't any better, and, in fact, was even worse.
I really wanted this to be a good book. I was sorely disappointed. I probably won't be reading any more books about this case simply because one can only stomach so much of humanity's worst before tapping out. I reached my limits on this one.
This book may be well-researched, but the writing is poor and filled with easy-to-spot typos and errors that even the least bit of editing should have caught. Additionally, the author seems to bend over backwards trying to excuse Karla Homolka, a truly abysmal excuse of a human being, for raping, torturing and murdering young women. Her husband, Paul Bernardo, wasn't any better, and, in fact, was even worse.
I really wanted this to be a good book. I was sorely disappointed. I probably won't be reading any more books about this case simply because one can only stomach so much of humanity's worst before tapping out. I reached my limits on this one.
May 6, 2021
Good read
An interesting read, but full of spelling errors. The book does seem to paint Homolka as a victim but she was just as bad, she had plenty of opportunities to put an end to the whole thing before anybody else got hurt but she didn't.
An interesting read, but full of spelling errors. The book does seem to paint Homolka as a victim but she was just as bad, she had plenty of opportunities to put an end to the whole thing before anybody else got hurt but she didn't.
November 16, 2007
Very interesting, but quite possibly the most disturbing book I've ever read.
April 1, 2023
Read six times beginning early 2001. Replaced 8/22/22.
August 6, 2009
Sickening!
Read
July 27, 2011Sick pukes!
May 28, 2022
I guess I had heard of the so-called Ken and Barbie murderers, but I never really gave it much thought. It turns out, they are the subject of this book. The book's title is taken from a rap song that Paul Bernardo, the male in this duo, wrote around the time of the murders. This is not a review of the murders, though. They were vicious and disgusting, to say the very least. This is a review of the book and the way the authors wrote about what happened.
The book begins with a scenario of a teenage girl. The next chapter is another scenario. The next is another scenario. And so on. It takes several chapters before the reader will understand at least part of how these scenarios were connected, so it is disjointed in the beginning. In fact, the wedding of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka is near the beginning of the book, so the events are not written chronologically.
I do believe the author did a great deal of research for this book... maybe too much. If anything, there is too much detail, and it is repetitive. You will read about each murder multiple times: when it happens, when Karla talks about it, when it is discussed in court. I feel like it could have been condensed, especially considering the extremely graphic content and the sheer length of the book. With such explicit content, the book is already difficult to read mentally (unless you are a psychopath who enjoys those graphic details multiple times), and it is a very long book.
The end, especially, dragged on. The next-to-the-last chapter contains expert dissections of the couple's mental states. These experts include a women's abuse specialist (who is a man), forensic experts, kidnapping and homicide experts, and a behavioral scientist from the FBI. Other cases, experiments, and studies were also considered. Most of their opinions were not allowed as testimony in the case because it didn't actually apply to this case. I feel it should have been included in an appendix for readers who were interested in what they had to say rather than in an actual chapter of the book.
Additionally, there were numerous mistakes. Did anyone edit this book for grammar, punctuation, spelling, typographical errors? I think not. There were countless errors. The book was written by "journalists (reporters)" rather than "authors" and I think that dinstinction makes a difference.
I have not read another book about this same couple although there are many, so I did not have anything to compare it to, but based on the writing style, the number of errors, the explicit vulgar detail, the repetiveness, and the unnecessary parts, I can only say that it was "okay."
The book begins with a scenario of a teenage girl. The next chapter is another scenario. The next is another scenario. And so on. It takes several chapters before the reader will understand at least part of how these scenarios were connected, so it is disjointed in the beginning. In fact, the wedding of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka is near the beginning of the book, so the events are not written chronologically.
I do believe the author did a great deal of research for this book... maybe too much. If anything, there is too much detail, and it is repetitive. You will read about each murder multiple times: when it happens, when Karla talks about it, when it is discussed in court. I feel like it could have been condensed, especially considering the extremely graphic content and the sheer length of the book. With such explicit content, the book is already difficult to read mentally (unless you are a psychopath who enjoys those graphic details multiple times), and it is a very long book.
The end, especially, dragged on. The next-to-the-last chapter contains expert dissections of the couple's mental states. These experts include a women's abuse specialist (who is a man), forensic experts, kidnapping and homicide experts, and a behavioral scientist from the FBI. Other cases, experiments, and studies were also considered. Most of their opinions were not allowed as testimony in the case because it didn't actually apply to this case. I feel it should have been included in an appendix for readers who were interested in what they had to say rather than in an actual chapter of the book.
Additionally, there were numerous mistakes. Did anyone edit this book for grammar, punctuation, spelling, typographical errors? I think not. There were countless errors. The book was written by "journalists (reporters)" rather than "authors" and I think that dinstinction makes a difference.
I have not read another book about this same couple although there are many, so I did not have anything to compare it to, but based on the writing style, the number of errors, the explicit vulgar detail, the repetiveness, and the unnecessary parts, I can only say that it was "okay."
December 18, 2024
Never let anyone know our relationship is anything but perfect;
Don't talk back to Paul;
Always smile when you're with Paul;
Be a perfect girlfriend for Paul;
If Paul asks for a drink, bring him one quickly and happily;
Remember you're stupid;
Remember you're ugly;
Remember you're fat;
I don't know why I tell you these things because you never change.
This book offers a riveting insight into the disturbing marriage hidden behind closed doors of the Bernardo-Homolka home. Paul Bernardo is as sick, twisted, and psychopathic a sadist as one could imagine, with very little explanation provided for why he was the way he was—except that he seemingly always had been. Karla Homolka's psyche was a bit more mind-boggling. Karla was described as a domineering, defiant, and eccentric young woman who, at the same time, was very nurturing towards animals. Her behaviour radically changed once she got into a relationship with Paul when she was only 17 and he was 23. The abuse began subtly, such as through a handwritten list of "reminders" outlining Karla's perceived flaws and how she was expected to serve Paul. Towards the end of the relationship, Paul's emotional abuse had escalated to severe beatings requiring hospitalization, sexual assault, and criminal confinement.
As you read on, you'll begin peeling the layers of the complex dynamic between Paul and Karla, how controlling he was of her, and how codependent and subservient he had trained her to be. Notorious for being Canada's most hated woman, this book may succeed in making you feel somewhat sympathetic towards Karla, portraying her as an unwilling participant trapped in a cycle of abuse—rather than a willing accomplice who took pleasure in her husband's sadistic behaviour.
I rated this book three stars because although it did give me a better perspective into the mind and motivations of Karla Homolka and her role in the murders, I do feel like the book portrayed her as a helpless victim by excluding some very important information that paints an image of a self-centered woman who lacked remorse for her actions. Regardless, this book was very informative and well-research.
Don't talk back to Paul;
Always smile when you're with Paul;
Be a perfect girlfriend for Paul;
If Paul asks for a drink, bring him one quickly and happily;
Remember you're stupid;
Remember you're ugly;
Remember you're fat;
I don't know why I tell you these things because you never change.
This book offers a riveting insight into the disturbing marriage hidden behind closed doors of the Bernardo-Homolka home. Paul Bernardo is as sick, twisted, and psychopathic a sadist as one could imagine, with very little explanation provided for why he was the way he was—except that he seemingly always had been. Karla Homolka's psyche was a bit more mind-boggling. Karla was described as a domineering, defiant, and eccentric young woman who, at the same time, was very nurturing towards animals. Her behaviour radically changed once she got into a relationship with Paul when she was only 17 and he was 23. The abuse began subtly, such as through a handwritten list of "reminders" outlining Karla's perceived flaws and how she was expected to serve Paul. Towards the end of the relationship, Paul's emotional abuse had escalated to severe beatings requiring hospitalization, sexual assault, and criminal confinement.
As you read on, you'll begin peeling the layers of the complex dynamic between Paul and Karla, how controlling he was of her, and how codependent and subservient he had trained her to be. Notorious for being Canada's most hated woman, this book may succeed in making you feel somewhat sympathetic towards Karla, portraying her as an unwilling participant trapped in a cycle of abuse—rather than a willing accomplice who took pleasure in her husband's sadistic behaviour.
I rated this book three stars because although it did give me a better perspective into the mind and motivations of Karla Homolka and her role in the murders, I do feel like the book portrayed her as a helpless victim by excluding some very important information that paints an image of a self-centered woman who lacked remorse for her actions. Regardless, this book was very informative and well-research.
July 26, 2023
Paul Bernardo has fantasies from his early teenage years of grabbing woman off the street and viciously raping them. He is constantly talking to his friends about it and peeping through windows and eventually makes his fantasies come true, making the women follow his script if dirty talk.
He meets Karla, his absolute dream girl, but she isn’t enough to stop his fantasies and his crimes escalate to murder with help from Karla.
Karla is under his control and I have no doubt about that in my mind. He trained her to be the woman he wanted with control, threats and beatings until he had created the Karla he needed in his life to carry out his crimes of fantasy.
I’m sure if Karla had met a different man instead of Paul, no one would have heard of her but you would still know Paul Bernardo.
The story is very well written, easy to follow with enough information about the crimes to know what happened without exploiting the crimes. I’m sure if Paul Bernardo was anywhere near my loved ones I’d kill him myself. Highly recommended.
He meets Karla, his absolute dream girl, but she isn’t enough to stop his fantasies and his crimes escalate to murder with help from Karla.
Karla is under his control and I have no doubt about that in my mind. He trained her to be the woman he wanted with control, threats and beatings until he had created the Karla he needed in his life to carry out his crimes of fantasy.
I’m sure if Karla had met a different man instead of Paul, no one would have heard of her but you would still know Paul Bernardo.
The story is very well written, easy to follow with enough information about the crimes to know what happened without exploiting the crimes. I’m sure if Paul Bernardo was anywhere near my loved ones I’d kill him myself. Highly recommended.
December 19, 2023
I did not finish this whole book. It was so sick and disturbing that I did not want it in my brain.
The author needed a better editor, too many, many typos and poorly written.
It makes me so mad and so disgusted that there are such animals on this earth.
There seems to be an awful lot of truly ignorant parents out there, too. Your children are precious. Why would you think it was ok to let them just go stay with a married couple you don’t even know?
Things I read in this book are horrifying and I need to go hug my daughter and granddaughter and pray neither them… nor anyone else runs across such evil people.
This is one book I wish I had never, ever attempted to read.
This couple would serve the world so much better if they just killed themselves. I don’t feel sorry for either of them.
I hope they both burn in hell.
The author needed a better editor, too many, many typos and poorly written.
It makes me so mad and so disgusted that there are such animals on this earth.
There seems to be an awful lot of truly ignorant parents out there, too. Your children are precious. Why would you think it was ok to let them just go stay with a married couple you don’t even know?
Things I read in this book are horrifying and I need to go hug my daughter and granddaughter and pray neither them… nor anyone else runs across such evil people.
This is one book I wish I had never, ever attempted to read.
This couple would serve the world so much better if they just killed themselves. I don’t feel sorry for either of them.
I hope they both burn in hell.
November 3, 2019
This book took me forever to read as the topic was rather gruesome.
However it was very well written, not to bogged down with overly gross descriptions even though the crimes where quite hanous. Also it wasn't filled with all the leagal jargon as can sometimes be the case when getting to the trial parts of true crime books.
I vividly remember this case as it was happening when I was just graduating from high school. It was also quite the ordeal as it was happening so close to home.
Paul Bernardo has got to be one of the worst sadistic psychopaths to come out of Canada, and after reading this I'm still not impressed with how little time Karla Homolka actually served.
Definitely worth a read, if you enjoy the true crime stories.
However it was very well written, not to bogged down with overly gross descriptions even though the crimes where quite hanous. Also it wasn't filled with all the leagal jargon as can sometimes be the case when getting to the trial parts of true crime books.
I vividly remember this case as it was happening when I was just graduating from high school. It was also quite the ordeal as it was happening so close to home.
Paul Bernardo has got to be one of the worst sadistic psychopaths to come out of Canada, and after reading this I'm still not impressed with how little time Karla Homolka actually served.
Definitely worth a read, if you enjoy the true crime stories.
July 6, 2018
You’ve got to wonder what Paul thinks about the fact she is free while he rots away in his cell ?
Considering before he met Karla, he was a serial rapist, and only after they got together, that is when the murders started.
Anyone who could willingly drug and offer up their sister to be raped is a sick bitch who belongs in jail for just as long as Paul is.
I don’t for one second believe her that she was only involved because she feared for her life as an abused wife. She got off on everything as much, as he did- if not more.
#guilty
Considering before he met Karla, he was a serial rapist, and only after they got together, that is when the murders started.
Anyone who could willingly drug and offer up their sister to be raped is a sick bitch who belongs in jail for just as long as Paul is.
I don’t for one second believe her that she was only involved because she feared for her life as an abused wife. She got off on everything as much, as he did- if not more.
#guilty
July 21, 2018
Very informative book on a subject I knew little about.
The book was very informative. As much as I like to read about true crime, somehow I had not heard of Paul Bernardo and Karla until fairly recently. This book gave the full ins and outs of the lives of the victims and the perpetrators before, during and after the events.
I had to remove a star from the review however for the editing, or lack of in this case. The book is full of spelling and punctuation errors, most of the time removing from the fluency of the story.
The book was very informative. As much as I like to read about true crime, somehow I had not heard of Paul Bernardo and Karla until fairly recently. This book gave the full ins and outs of the lives of the victims and the perpetrators before, during and after the events.
I had to remove a star from the review however for the editing, or lack of in this case. The book is full of spelling and punctuation errors, most of the time removing from the fluency of the story.
September 3, 2022
This case has always fascinated and frustrated me.
These authors are defiantly Holmolka sympathizers.
No one deserves to be abused by their partner, but that doesn't excuse her actions.
Also, the first chapter has the most disgusting descriptions of Bernardo's mother and it makes no sense. because no one else in the book is subjected to that.
"Van" also should have been arrested for being a pedophile and a predator. Holy crap.
All these so called "friends" are also monsters. Oh the things you were allowed to get away with in the 80's and 90's.
These authors are defiantly Holmolka sympathizers.
No one deserves to be abused by their partner, but that doesn't excuse her actions.
Also, the first chapter has the most disgusting descriptions of Bernardo's mother and it makes no sense. because no one else in the book is subjected to that.
"Van" also should have been arrested for being a pedophile and a predator. Holy crap.
All these so called "friends" are also monsters. Oh the things you were allowed to get away with in the 80's and 90's.
February 17, 2025
Very twisted and stomach turning. It is deeply sad, disturbing, & upsetting. True crime has always fascinated me but this is a tough case to process. Being Canadian myself I’ve always been interested in this case and almost regret reading so much it’s desensitizing. The victims families deserve peace which they will never get and this book shares some things that the families didn’t want the public knowing. I give it a 5 because it is well written and eye opening. Lethal marriage is better in my opinion but they are both worthy of a 5 star rating.
November 27, 2023
A pretty fantastic true crime book. It does not come across sensationalistic, gives a lot insight into the crimes, and the criminals. Bernardo is shown as a delusional monster; god’s gift to business, women, and rap. Homolka a participant who had she never met her ex probably would never have engaged in crimes like these.
The only thing it could have elaborated more on was the ineptness of various Canadian police departments.
The only thing it could have elaborated more on was the ineptness of various Canadian police departments.
January 28, 2020
This is probably one of my favourite true crime novels. The fact it is so close to home sparks my interest the most, when it comes to these types of novels. (Before you think I'm a weirdo, I am simply fascinated by the psychology behind it, and knowing they were caught)
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